A third gender option is now recognised by an Australian health insurer

Conchita Wurst at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015. Dieter Nagl/AFP/Getty Images

HIF, a not-for-profit Perth-based health insurer, has decided to allow members to record their gender as neither male nor female, a first for the health insurance industry.

The 2016 census for the first time had the option to record gender as male, female or other. The Australian Bureau of Statistics introduced the same standard earlier this year and the Australian Passport Office allows citizens to identify themselves as M, F or X.

“We’ve introduced a third gender category option which will allow our members to choose male, female or other,” says HIF.

“HIF members may select the ‘other’ gender option if they choose to identify as neither male nor female, including (but not limited to) those who are agender, androgyne, bigender, gender fluid, intersex, neutrois, non-binary, pangender or transgender.”

There is also a new title option, Mx, for people who do not identify with Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms.